Dr. Jann Blackstone

jann@bonusfamilies.com

Dr. Jann Blackstone holds two Master’s Degrees and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She specializes in child custody, divorce, and stepfamily mediation. The founder of Bonus Families, a 501 c3 non-profit organization dedicated to peaceful coexistence between divorced or separated parents and their combined families, she is also the author of six books on divorce, remarriage, and co-parenting, specifically, the award winning, My Parents are Divorced, Too, published by Magination Press, the children’s division of the American Psychological Association. Her most recent books Ex-Etiquette for Parents: Good Behavior After Divorce and Separation, Ex-Etiquette for Weddings, and Ex-Etiquette for Holidays were written with the help of her bonuskids’ mother, Sharyl Jupe.

Dr. Jann coined the term “bonus” as a more positive replacement for the term step and works with divorced or separated parents in being better prepared to positively combine families after a break-up. She is a frequent guest or consultant on television and radio talk shows, including Good Morning America (ABC), The Today Show (NBC), Keeping Kids Healthy (PBS), the Early Show (CBS), and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She has been the featured expert in many magazines, including, Child, Parents, Parenting, Newsweek, Family Circle, More, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, BRIDES, Woman’s Day, and Working Mother Magazine.

In 1999, Dr. Jann Blackstone founded and became the first Director of Bonus Families®. Bonus Families® Mission is to change the way society views stepfamilies by supplying easy to understand, up-to-date co-parenting information via its Web site, counseling, mediation, and a worldwide support group network. They prefer to use the word “bonus” to the word step. Step implies negative things; however, a “bonus” is an extra, not a replacement and a reward for a job well done. The Bonus Families® Website has now become the most visited divorce and stepfamily Website on the Web.

Dr. Jann is also writes a syndicated weekly column, Ex-etiquette, that offers help and advice on “good behavior after divorce or separation.” It is distributed by Tribune Media and can be found in hundreds of newspapers and websites around the world. Look for the weekly column and archived articles on “good behavior after divorce or separation” in the Ex-etiquette Department on the Bonus Families website.

Speaking Engagements and Co-parenting WorkshopsDr. Jann speaks at many different functions and teaches stepfamily and co-parenting workshops around the world. If you would like her to speak at your function, please contact the Bonus Families® office for more details. 1-925-516-2681.

MediationDr. Blackstone also conducts private child custody mediations with divorced or separated parents to help them design child custody parenting plans that work specifically for their children. Please contact Bonus Families® office for available times and dates. 1-925-516-2681.